BLYTHE (CNS) – A 37-year-old woman Thursday pleaded not guilty to felony charges stemming from a residential burglary in Blythe that she allegedly perpetrated with a 32-year-old man.
Blythe residents Christina Marie Dekens and Robert Xavier Tapia were charged with six felony counts, one each of burglary, conspiracy to commit a crime, receiving stolen property, grand theft of a firearm, transporting or selling narcotics and controlled substances, and being in possession of controlled substances for sale, according to court records.
Tapia additionally faces one felony count each of being a convicted felon and narcotic addict in possession of a firearm and possessing ammunition, as well as one misdemeanor count of being under the influence of a controlled substance, according to court records. The duo also faces sentence-enhancing allegations of having a firearm during a drug offense.
Dekens pleaded not guilty to all charges Thursday morning at the Blythe Courthouse. According to inmate records, Tapia posted $30,000 bail Tuesday and is set to be arraigned April 4.
Dekens and Tapia were arrested Tuesday morning at around 6:30 a.m. at the Albertsons parking lot on East Hobsonway in Blythe, according to the Blythe Police Department.
Police said officers arrested Tapia on suspicion of being under the influence of drugs and allegedly found him in possession of about 2.5 ounces of Fentanyl.
“The vehicle Dekens and Tapia were in had two unreported stolen firearms, ammunition, and other property,” said the Blythe Police Department in a statement. “Officers were able to identify a possible address for the owner of these items.”
Officers went to the residence, found out that a recent burglary had occurred, and saw security camera footage that allegedly captured Tapia and Dekens burglarizing it, according to police. Tapia was then allegedly found to also have a credit card and other items from the residence.
Dekens’ residence was subsequently searched, where officers found more alleged stolen property, police said.
The case remained under investigation and anyone with information was asked to call the Blythe Police Department at 760-922-6111 or Crime Stop anonymously at 760-921-2273.
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